U.S. patent application number 12/494330 was filed with the patent office on 2010-09-23 for securing device and thermal module incorporating the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to PO-HSUAN KUO, CHIH-HSUN LIN.
Application Number | 20100238631 12/494330 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42737413 |
Filed Date | 2010-09-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100238631 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KUO; PO-HSUAN ; et
al. |
September 23, 2010 |
SECURING DEVICE AND THERMAL MODULE INCORPORATING THE SAME
Abstract
A thermal module includes a fin assembly, a heat spreader, a
heat pipe connected between the fin assembly and the heat spreader,
and a securing plate. The securing plate has at least three
resilient members secured on a bottom surface thereof. Each of the
resilient members has a capability to deform resiliently along a
direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the securing plate
to resiliently press the heat spreader to an electronic
component.
Inventors: |
KUO; PO-HSUAN; (Tu-Cheng,
TW) ; LIN; CHIH-HSUN; (Tu-Cheng, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Altis Law Group, Inc.;ATTN: Steven Reiss
288 SOUTH MAYO AVENUE
CITY OF INDUSTRY
CA
91789
US
|
Assignee: |
FOXCONN TECHNOLOGY CO.,
LTD.
Tu-Cheng
TW
|
Family ID: |
42737413 |
Appl. No.: |
12/494330 |
Filed: |
June 30, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/704 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 24/44034 20150115;
Y10T 24/42 20150115; G06F 1/20 20130101; Y10T 24/44556 20150115;
Y10T 24/44026 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/704 |
International
Class: |
H05K 7/20 20060101
H05K007/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 21, 2009 |
CN |
200910301030.5 |
Claims
1. A securing device comprising: a securing plate defining a
plurality of securing holes; a plurality of fasteners extending
through the securing holes, adapted for securing the securing plate
to a substrate; at least three resilient members extending from the
securing plate, the at least three resilient members being arranged
at corners of a polygon, each of the at least three resilient
members having a capability to deform resiliently along a direction
perpendicular to the securing plate; and a heat spreader attached
to the securing plate and being resiliently pushed by the at least
three resilient members, the heat spreader being adapted for
thermally engaging with a heat generating electronic component
mounted on the substrate.
2. The securing device of claim 1, wherein the resilient members
are springs or resilient flakes.
3. The securing device of claim 2, wherein the resilient members
are springs, and each of the springs is coiled on a securing shaft
which extends downwardly perpendicularly from the securing plate,
each spring at a free status being longer than the securing
shaft.
4. The securing device of claim 2, wherein the resilient members
are resilient flakes, and each of the resilient flakes comprises
two flat portions spaced from each other and a connecting portion
connected between the two flat portions, one of the two flat
portions being secured on the securing plate and the other one of
the two flat portions pressing on the heat spreader, the connecting
portion can deform resiliently between the two flat portions.
5. The securing device of claim 1, wherein the securing plate has a
plurality of sleeves extended perpendicularly downwardly, and each
of the sleeves defines one of the plurality of securing holes
therein, an inner diameter of the securing hole at a bottom end of
the sleeve being smaller than that of other portion of the securing
hole, a step being formed on an inner surface of the securing hole
above the bottom end of the sleeve, each of the fasteners
comprising a cap and a pole extending downwardly from the cap, a
diameter of the cap being larger than that of the pole.
6. The securing device of claim 1, wherein a heat dissipation plate
is formed on a lateral side of the securing plate, the heat
dissipation plate being parallel to the securing plate and lower
than the securing plate, a plurality of heat dissipation pins being
formed on a top surface of the heat dissipation plate, a length of
the heat dissipation pin being smaller than a distance between the
securing plate and heat dissipation plate.
7. A thermal module comprising: a fin assembly; a heat spreader; a
heat pipe comprising an evaporation section and a condensation
section at two opposite ends thereof, the evaporation section being
attached to the heat spreader, the condensation section being
attached to the fin assembly; a securing plate having at least
three resilient members secured on a bottom surface thereof, each
of the resilient members having a capability to deform resiliently
along a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the
securing plate to press on the heat spreader.
8. The thermal module of claim 7, wherein the resilient members are
springs or resilient flakes.
9. The thermal module of claim 8, wherein the resilient members are
springs, and each of the springs is coiled on a securing shaft
which extends perpendicularly downwardly from the securing plate,
the spring at a free status being longer than the securing
shaft.
10. The thermal module of claim 8, wherein the resilient members
are resilient flakes, and each of the resilient flakes includes two
flat portions spaced from each other and a connecting portion
connected between the two flat portions, the two flat portions
abutting on the securing plate and the heat spreader respectively,
and the connecting portion having a capability to deform
resiliently.
11. The thermal module of claim 7, further comprising a plurality
of fasteners, the securing plate defining a plurality of securing
holes for receiving the fasteners.
12. The thermal module of claim 11, wherein the securing plate has
a plurality of sleeves extended perpendicularly downwardly, and
each of the sleeves defines one of the plurality of securing holes
therein, an inner diameter of the securing hole at a bottom end of
the sleeve being smaller than that of other portion of the securing
hole, a step being formed on an inner surface of the securing hole
above the bottom end of the sleeve, each of the fasteners
comprising a cap and a pole extending downwardly from the cap, a
diameter of the cap being larger than that of the pole.
13. The thermal module of claim 7, wherein the resilient members
are respectively arranged at corners of a polygon.
14. The thermal module of claim 7, wherein the heat spreader
comprises two clasping flakes formed on two opposite lateral sides
thereof, and the securing plate defines two clasping holes
corresponding to the clasping flakes, the clasping flakes extending
through the clasping holes and clasping on the securing plate.
15. The thermal module of claim 14, wherein each of the clasping
flakes extends upwardly from the heat spreader and then bends
downwardly slantways to a middle portion of the heat spreader to
form a hook at a free end thereof, the hooks can deform
resiliently.
16. The thermal module of claim 15, wherein the clasping holes are
rectangular and parallel to each other, a distance between inner
lateral sides of the two clasping holes being no more than a
distance between the two hooks, each of the clasping holes has a
clasping portion extending into the clasping hole, a clasping
surface being formed at a top end of the clasping portion, the
clasping surface being lower than an upper surface of the securing
plate, a distance between free ends of the two clasping portions
being more than the distance between the two hooks, each of the
hooks extending in a corresponding clasping hole and clasping on
the clasping surface of the clasping portion.
17. The thermal module of claim 16, wherein a slantwise surface
being formed at the free end of each of the clasping portions, the
slantwise surface slanting outwardly and upwardly from a bottom end
to the top end of the clasping portion.
18. The thermal module of claim 7, wherein a heat dissipation plate
is formed on a lateral side of the securing plate, the heat
dissipation plate being parallel to the securing plate and lower
than the securing plate, a plurality of heat dissipation pins being
formed on a top surface of the heat dissipation plate, a length of
the heat dissipation pin being smaller than a distance between the
securing plate and heat dissipation plate.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present disclosure relates to securing devices, and more
particularly to a securing device for securing a thermal module
onto an electronic component without risking damaging the
electronic component.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] With continuing development of the electronic technology,
electronic components such as CPUs (central processing units)
generate more and more heat required to be dissipated immediately.
Therefore, thermal modules are widely used to help dissipating heat
of the electronic components. A typical thermal module includes a
heat sink, a heat pipe and a heat dissipating fan. The heat pipe
has an evaporation section attached to the electronic component to
absorb heat therefrom, and a condensation section attached to the
heat sink to transfer heat thereto. The heat sink is located at an
air outlet of the heat dissipating fan. The heat dissipating fan
generates airflow which flows through the heat sink to take away
heat therefrom.
[0005] In assembly of the thermal module, the evaporation section
of the heat pipe is received in a groove of a heat spreader. The
heat spreader is a rectangular plate made of thermal conductive
material. The heat spreader is screwed to a printed circuit board
on which the electronic component is mounted thus to secure the
evaporation section of the heat pipe onto the electronic component.
However, because it is difficult to control a proper force exerted
on the heat spreader, so excess force is always exerted on the heat
spreader and thus risks damaging the electronic component.
[0006] For the said reasons, a thermal module which can overcome
the described shortcoming is desired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood
with references to the following drawings. The components in the
drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead
being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the
present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference
numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several
views.
[0008] FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of a thermal module
according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the thermal module
of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the thermal module of
FIG. 1, taken along line III-III thereof.
[0011] FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a securing plate of the
thermal module of FIG. 2, viewed from a bottom aspect.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the thermal module of
FIG. 1, taken along line V-V thereof.
[0013] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a securing plate of a thermal
module according to a second embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0014] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a securing plate of a thermal
module according to a third embodiment of the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a thermal module according to a
first embodiment of the present invention is shown. The thermal
module is used for cooling electronic components 51, 52 such as
CPU, north bridge, etc. which are mounted on a printed circuit
board (PCB) 50.
[0016] The thermal module includes a fin assembly 10, a heat
spreader 20, a flat-type heat pipe 30 connecting between the fin
assembly 10 and the heat spreader 20, a securing device 40 for
securing the thermal module onto the PCB 50, and a centrifugal
blower 60 mounted on the fin assembly 10.
[0017] The heat spreader 20 is a rectangular plate made of a
thermal conductive material, such as copper, aluminum, etc. Two
clasping flakes 21 are formed at two opposite lateral sides of the
heat spreader 20, respectively. Each of the clasping flakes 21
extends upwardly from a lateral side of the heat spreader 20 and
then bends downwardly slantways towards a middle portion of the
heat spreader 20 to form a hook 211 at a free end thereof. The two
hooks 211 can deform resiliently. The heat pipe 30 includes an
evaporation section 31 and a condensation section 32 at two
opposite ends thereof, respectively. The evaporation section 31 is
positioned between the two clasping flakes 21 with a bottom surface
thereof secured on a top surface of the heat spreader 20. The
securing device 40 is secured on the PCB 50 to press the heat
spreader 20 onto the electronic component 51; thus, the evaporation
section 31 is thermally connected to the electronic component 51
via the heat spreader 20 to absorb heat from the electronic
component 51. The condensation section 32 extends through the fin
assembly 10 to transfer heat thereto. The fin assembly 10 is
located at an air outlet of the centrifugal blower 60. The
centrifugal blower 60 provides a cool airflow through the fin
assembly 10 to take away heat therefrom.
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the securing device 40
includes a securing plate 41 and a plurality of fasteners 42
securing the securing plate 41 onto the PCB 50. The securing plate
41 is approximately a triangular plate. Three sleeves 410 are
formed at three corners of the securing plate 41, respectively.
Each of the sleeves 410 extends downwardly perpendicularly from the
securing plate 41 and defines a securing hole 411 therein. Bottom
ends of the sleeves 410 abut against the PCB 50, and the PCB 50
defines three through holes 53 therein, corresponding to the
securing holes 411 of the sleeves 410. An inner diameter of the
securing hole 411 at the bottom end of the sleeve 410 is smaller
than that of other portion of the securing hole 411. Therefore a
step 412 is formed on an inner surface of the securing hole 411.
The step 412 is located above the bottom end of the sleeve 410.
Each of the fasteners 42 includes a cap 421 and a pole 422
extending downwardly from the cap 421. A diameter of the cap 421 is
larger than that of the pole 422. When the fastener 42 extends into
the securing hole 411 of the securing plate 41 and secures in the
corresponding through hole 53 of the PCB 50, the cap 421 of the
fastener 42 is blocked by the step 412, and thus exerts a securing
force onto the securing plate 41 toward the PCB 50.
[0019] Four securing shafts 413 extend downwardly perpendicularly
from a middle portion of a bottom surface of the securing plate 41.
The securing shafts 413 are arranged at four corners of an
imaginary rectangle, corresponding to four corners of the heat
spreader 20. Each of the securing shafts 413 has a spring 414
coiled thereon. A top end of each spring 414 is fixed on the
securing plate 41, and a bottom end of the spring 414 is free. The
spring 414 at a free status is longer than each of the securing
shafts 413, which ensures a deformation capability to the spring
414 along a direction perpendicular to the securing plate 41 when
the securing plate 41 is pressed toward the PCB 50.
[0020] The securing plate 41 has two clasping holes 415 defined
therein, corresponding to the two clasping flakes 21 of the heat
spreader 20, for clasping the heat spreader 20 to the securing
plate 41. Each of the clasping holes 415 has a rectangular shape.
The two clasping holes 415 are parallel to each other. A distance
L.sub.1 between inner sides 4150 of the two clasping holes 415 is
no more than a distance L.sub.2 between the two hooks 211. Two
clasping portions 416 are formed on the bottom surface of the
securing plate 41. Each of the clasping portions 416 extends
downwardly near the inner lateral side 4150 of a corresponding
clasping hole 415 and then extends horizontally into the clasping
hole 415. A horizontal clasping surface 4160 is formed at a top end
of the clasping portion 416. The clasping surface 4160 is
positioned in the clasping hole 415 and lower than an upper surface
of the securing plate 41. A slantwise surface 4161 is formed at a
free end of each of the clasping portions 416, located
corresponding to one of the two hooks 211. The slantwise surface
4161 slants forth from a bottom end to the top end of the clasping
portion 416. A distance L.sub.3 between the free ends of the
clasping portions 416 is a little more than the distance L.sub.2
between the two hooks 211.
[0021] A heat dissipation plate 417 is formed at a lateral side of
the securing plate 41. The heat dissipation plate 417 is parallel
to the securing plate 41 and a little lower than the securing plate
41. A plurality of heat dissipation pins 4171 extend upwardly from
heat dissipation plate 417. A height of the heat dissipation pin
4171 is less than a distance between the securing plate 41 and the
heat dissipation plate 417, i.e., a top end of each heat
dissipation pin 4171 is lower than the securing plate 41.
[0022] In pre-assembling the thermal module, the heat spreader 20
is arranged under the securing plate 41 with the clasping flakes 21
aligned with the clasping holes 415. Then the securing plate 41 is
pressed downwardly to cause the hooks 211 of the clasping flakes 21
to deform and move along the slantwise surfaces 4161 and finally
snappingly clasp the clasping surfaces 4160 of the clasping
portions 416. Thus the heat spreader 20 is assembled to the
securing plate 41. In this state, a distance between the securing
plate 41 and the heat spreader 20 is smaller than a length of the
spring 414 at a free status, but larger than a height of the heat
pipe 30. The springs 414 are compressed between the bottom surface
of the securing plate 41 and the top surface of the heat spreader
20. Free ends of the securing shafts 413 are spaced from the top
surface of the heat spreader 20, and a top surface of the
evaporation section 31 is spaced from the bottom surface of the
securing plate 41, for a further compression of the springs
414.
[0023] In assembling the heat dissipation module onto the
electronic components 51, 52, the heat spreader 20 and the heat
dissipation plate 417 align with the electronic components 51, 52
respectively. Fasteners 42 extend through the securing holes 411 of
the securing plate 41 into the through holes 53 of the PCB 50 to
secure the securing plate 41 onto the PCB 50. The springs 414 are
further compressed between the securing plate 41 and heat spreader
20 due to the securing force of the fasteners 42 to resiliently
press the heat spreader 20 onto the electronic component 51. The
free ends of the securing shafts 413 are spaced from the top
surface of the heat spreader 20, and the top surface of the
evaporation section 31 is spaced from the bottom surface of the
securing plate 41, too, whereby the springs 414 still have a space
to be further compressed to absorb an unexpected impact or
vibration on the securing device 40. The springs 414 provide a
resilient force, which causes a force exerted downwardly by the
heat spreader 20 on the electronic component 51 to be modulated,
thereby preventing a too excessive force from being exerted on the
electronic component 51. Thus, the electronic component 51 is
prevented from damage. In addition, the securing device 40 has
fewer fasteners 42, and the printed circuit board 50 needs to form
fewer through holes 53, which decreases circuit design difficulties
of the printed circuit board 50 and reduces the production cost of
the thermal module.
[0024] FIG. 6 shows a securing plate 41a of a thermal module
according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. The
securing plate 41a is similar to the securing plate 41 in the
previous embodiment. The difference is that, the securing plate 41a
has three securing shafts 413 formed on a bottom surface thereof.
The securing shafts 413 extend downwardly perpendicularly from the
securing plate 41a and are arranged at three corners of an
imaginary triangle. Each of the securing shafts 413 has a spring
414 coiled thereon. The spring 414 at a free status is longer than
the securing shaft 413.
[0025] FIG. 7 shows a securing plate 41b of a thermal module
according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure,
differing from the securing plate 41a in the second embodiment in
that the securing plate 41b has three resilient flakes 418 secured
on a bottom surface thereof. The resilient flakes 418 are arranged
at three corners of an imaginary triangle. Each of the resilient
flakes 418 is substantially Z-shaped. The resilient flake 418
includes two flat portions 4181 spaced from and parallel to each
other, and a connecting portion 4182 slantwise connected between
opposite lateral sides of the two flat portions 4181. One of the
flat portions 4181 is secured on the bottom surface of the securing
plate 41b and the other one of the flat portions 4181 is configured
to press the heat spreader 20 toward the electronic component 51.
The connecting portion 4182 can deform resiliently between the two
flat portions 4181.
[0026] It is to be understood that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the disclosure have been set
forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the
structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
* * * * *